What language do Tuareg speak?
Tamashek
Tamashek is the language of the Tuareg, who often call themselves the Kel Tamagheq, or Tamashek speakers. The language is also spoken in Algeria and Mali and possesses its own writing, called tifinagh, which is in widespread use.
Is Amazigh a dead language?
The Amazigh language, known as Tamazight, became an official language in 2011. Having been preserved in Amazigh enclaves, it is spoken by roughly one-third of the people. Many Imazighen also speak Arabic, and Tamazight is taught in schools. French is an important secondary language, and Spanish is widely spoken.
Is Amazigh the same as Berber?
Berber, self-name Amazigh, plural Imazighen, any of the descendants of the pre-Arab inhabitants of North Africa. The Berbers live in scattered communities across Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya, Egypt, Mali, Niger, and Mauritania.
What language do the Berber speak and why?
They belong to the Afro-Asiatic languages phylum. There is a strong movement among Berbers to unify the closely related northern Berber languages into a single standard, Tamazight. Among the Berber languages are Tarifit or Riffi (northern Morocco), Kabyle (Algeria) and Tachelhit (central Morocco).
Where did the Amazigh people live in Africa?
Amazigh history in North Africa is extensive and diverse. Their ancient ancestors settled in the area just inland of the Mediterranean Sea to the east of Egypt. Many early Roman, Greek, and Phoenician colonial accounts mention a group of people collectively known as Berbers living in northern Africa.
What kind of clothing did the Amazigh make?
The Stanley Museum of Art is the only museum in the world with a complete Ait Khabbash bridal gown. Amazigh weavers typically use a fixed heddle loom to create wool fiber pieces that are used as clothing, blankets and floor coverings. When the Amazigh lived in the desert, women wove long, narrow panels that they sewed together to create wool tents.
How did the Amazigh trade across the Sahara?
There are basically five trade routes which extend across the Sahara from the northern Mediterranean coast of Africa to the great cities, which are situated on the southern edge of the Sahara. Amazigh merchants were responsible for bringing goods from these cities to the north. From there they were distributed throughout the world.
Who are the Berber people of Northern Africa?
Many early Roman, Greek, and Phoenician colonial accounts mention a group of people collectively known as Berbers living in northern Africa. In actuality, Berber is a generic name given to numerous heterogeneous ethnic groups that share similar cultural, political, and economic practices.
